"ODUDUA" OR "ODUA" IS THE CHIEF GODDESS OF THE YORUBA PEOPLES; AS THE CREATOR, SHE REPRESENTS THE EARTH. HER NAME MEANS "BLACK ONE, "AND SHE IS PICTURED AS A GREAT BEAUTY WITH SKIN LIKE OBSIDIAN STONE.SHE RULES DIRECTIONAL AND ELEMENTAL SOUTH...AND DEVOTION IN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS. SHE IS WORSHIPPED IN WEST AFRICA AS THE MOTHER OF LOVE AND CHILD REARING. SHE IS THE WIFE OF OBATALIA, THE BRINGER OF PEACE AND HARMONY. SHE CAME FROM IFE, THE HOLY CITY, AS DID MOST OF THE OTHER GODS. ODUDUA AND OBATALIA REPRESENT ONE ANDROGYNOUS DIVINITY...THE CREATOR AND THE CREATRIX. HOWEVER, THE ARE USUALLY REGARDED AS TWO DISTINCT PERSONS.

ACCORDING TO A MYTH, ODUDUWA IS BLIND. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD, SHE AND HER HUSBAND, OBATALA, WERE SHUT UP IN DARKNESS IN A LARGE, CLOSED CALABASH... OBATALA BEING IN THE UPPER PART AND ODUDUWA IN THE LOWER. THEY REMAINED THERE FOR MANY DAYS, CRAMPED, HUNGRY, AND VERY, VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. THEN ODUDUWA BEGAN TO COMPLAIN, BLAMING HER HUSBAND FOR THE CONFINEMENT;A VIOLENT QUARREL ENSUED, DURING THE COURSE OF WHICH, OBATALA TORE OUT HER EYES IN A FRENZY OF RAGE. IN RETURN, SHE CURSED HIM, SAYING, YOU SHALL EAT NOTHING BUT SNAILS.

ACCORDING TO ANOTHER TALE, ODUDUWA WAS ONCE WALKING ALONE IN THE FOREST WHEN SHE CAME UPON A HANDSOME HUNTER. SHE MADE ADVANCES TO HIM, AND THEY WERE FAVORABLY RECEIVED; HENCE, THE COUPLE GRATIFIED THEIR PASSION RIGHT THERE ON THE SPOT. ONCE THEY HAD MADE LOVE, THE GODDESS FOUND HERSELF EVEN MORE ENAMORED WITH THE HANDSOME HUNTER, AND FOUND HERSELF UNABLE TO TEAR HERSELF AWAY FROM HIM. SO, SHE LIVED WITH HIM FOR SEVERAL WEEKS IN A SMALL HOUSE CONSTRUCTED OF BRANCHES AT THE FOOT OF A LARGE SILK COTTON TREE. EVENTUALLY, HER PASSION HAD BURNED OUT AND SHE WEARIED OF HIM. SO, SHE LEFT HIM, BUT BEFORE SHE DID SO. SHE PROMISED THAT SHE WOULD ALWAYS PROTECT HIM AND ALL OTHERS WHO MIGHT COME AND DWELL IN THE SPOT WHERE SHE HAD PASSED SO MANY PLEASANT HOURS. AS A RESULT, MANY PEOPLE CAME AND SETTLED THERE, AND A TOWN GRADUALLY GREW UP; THE TOWN WAS NAMED ADO, TO COMMEMORATE THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF ITS ORIGIN.

WOMEN CELEBRATE HER FEAST DAYS BY OFFERING THEMSELVES WITH ABANDON TO MALE WORSHIPPERS.

In unity let's stand
On behalf of our fatherland
To rebuild it
To reform it
For the betterment of allLet all of us unite
To defend our motherland
For our progress
And for our children's
And for all posterityOduduwa is our spring
Wherever we may be
Let's be kinfolks
And remember
That home is home for us